Soil activities within the JRC are concentrated in a specific JRC Action, called FP7 'Soil Data and Information Systems' or SOIL for short. This action, which 
belongs to the Land Management and Natural Hazards Unit of the Institute for Environment and Sustainability will run for the whole period 2007-2014 of the EU's 
Seventh Research Framework Programme (FP7) and has a number objectives:   
  
The establishment of the European Soil Data Centre (ESDAC) as a single focal point for all soil data and information in Europe.   
The development of procedures and methods for data collection, quality assessment and control, data management and storage, data distribution to Commission 
and external users, fully complying with INSPIRE principles for spatial data infrastructures.   
Research and development of advanced modeling techniques, indicators and scenario analyses in relation to the major threats to soil (erosion, decline 
of organic matter, compaction, salinisation, landslides, sealing, contamination, and loss of soil biodiversity), as identified in the Thematic Strategy 
for Soil Protection.   
Supporting the other Commission's services with soil information and scientific as well as technical assistance in negotiating the Thematic Strategy 
for Soil Protection and the proposal for a Soil Framework Directive through the EU Institutions and their subsequent implementation at Community and Member 
State level.   
Extension of the coverage of the European Soil Information System (EUSIS) towards a fully operational Global Soil Information System (GLOSIS), providing 
relevant soil information for the implementation of multilateral environmental agreements, like UNFCCC, CBD and UNCCD, and contributing to the ground segment 
of the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES).   
Each year, a detailed workprogramme with specific objectives and deliverables is elaborated in collaboration with other Commission services.